Television comes to gaming consoles

Gadgets / 29 April 2014, 3:30pm

Microsoft's Xbox One is the clearest example of their belief that game consoles must offer far more than games to succeed in a digital world. The Xbox One goes on sale Friday and costs $499. Illustrates XBOX-REVIEW (category l), by Hayley Tsukayama (c) 2013, The Washington Post. Moved Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2013. (MUST CREDIT: Bloomberg photo by Ron Wurzer)

Microsoft in June will begin airing original television shows on Xbox consoles as it continues a quest to anchor the boxes at the heart of home entertainment.

Xbox Originals programs ranging from dramas and comedies to documentaries and live events will air with interactive features taking advantage of video game console capabilities, according to Microsoft.

“Microsoft has a long and rich legacy in the content business,” executive vice president of Xbox Entertainment Studios Jordan Levin said in a release.

“Games have been part of our DNA for at least the last 15 years, and creating original TV content is a logical next step in our evolution.”

The roster of original shows included a series about international street soccer and a documentary about a search for a trove of vintage Atari computer games dumped long ago in a landfill in a US desert.

Microsoft said that original programs are intended as incentive for people to make Xbox consoles preferred “all-in-one” entertainment devices.

Microsoft late last year launched a new generation Xbox One console touted as a home entertainment hub that goes far beyond games.

The beefed-up hardware is powered by software that allows for instant switching between games, television, and Internet browsing. Microsoft-owned Skype was also integrated for online group video calls.